two marks

SELVAM COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY, NAMAKKAL 03

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DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGG.| 080120059- UNCONVENTIONAL MACHINING

PROCESS - IV YEAR (7th SEMESTER)

1

UNIT -1

1. What is the need for unconventional machining processes? High production rate

Low cost of production Better surface integrity, High surface finish

2. What are the characteristics of UCM processes?

Performance is independent of strength barrier

Use different kinds of energy in direct form

In general, low MRR but better quality products

Comparatively high initial investment cost 3. Differentiate the conventional and unconventional machining processes in terms of principles. In conventional processes, the material is removed in the form of chips by the advancing cutting tool that plastically deforms (shearing) the material ahead. In the case of the UCM processes,

energy (Electrical, Chemical, Thermo-Electric, Mechanical) in its direct form is utilized for the material removal and so there is no physical contact between the workpiece and tool. 4. What are the various types of energy sources used in non-traditional machining techniques? Give examples for each.

Pneumatic pressure- AJM Hydraulic pressure- WJM, USM, AWJM Corrosion- CHM, CHB, PCM High current density in electrolytes- ECM High voltage- EDM (for sparking); IBM, EBM (ionizing); LBM

(creating avalanche in lazing medium); PAM (for ionizing the plasma gases)

5. Classify the different types of unconventional machining processes based on the mechanical energy.

Abrasive Jet Machining (AJM) Water Jet Machining (WJM) Ultrasonic Machining (USM) Abrasive Water Jet Machining (AWJM)

6. Identify the mechanism of material removal, transfer media and energy source for EDM.

Mechanism of material removal- Fusion of materials by arcs

Transfer media - Electron stream

Energy source - High voltage


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7. Identify the mechanism of material removal, transfer media and energy source for ECM. Mechanism of material removal- Ion displacement

Transfer media - Electrolyte

Energy source - High current

8. Identify the mechanism of material removal, transfer media and energy source for EBM. Mechanism of material removal- Vaporization

Transfer media - Electron stream


9. Identify the mechanism of material removal, transfer media and energy source for LBM. Mechanism of material removal- Vaporization

Transfer media - Amplified coherent light radiation


10. Identify the mechanism of material removal, transfer media and energy source for PAM. Mechanism of material removal- Vaporization

Transfer media - Ionised gas stream


11. Identify the mechanism of material removal, transfer media and energy source for USM. Mechanism of material removal- Erosion

Transfer media - High velocity particles

Energy source - Hydraulic pressure

12. Identify the mechanism of material removal, transfer media and energy source for AJM. Mechanism of material removal- Erosion

Transfer media - High velocity particles

Energy source - Pneumatic pressure


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13. Identify the mechanism of material removal, transfer media and energy source for WJM. Mechanism of material removal- Erosion

Transfer media - High velocity water jet

Energy source - Hydraulic pressure

Unit 2

Two Marks

1. What is the principle behind abrasive jet machining? A jet of inert gas consisting of very fine abrasive particles strikes the work piece at high velocity (usually between 200-400 m/sec) resulting in material removal through chipping / erosive action.

2. What is the mechanism of material removal in AJM?

Erosion. Abrasive jet machining removes material through the action of a focused stream of abrasive-laden gas

3. What are the major subsystems of AJM? AJM system consists of four major subsystems:

Gas propulsion system

Metering system

Delivery system

Abrasive collection system

4. Why the abrasive particles not reused in the AJM? During the process, abrasive particles get contaminated with different gases used in the

process, affecting their cutting efficiency; Also the cutting capacity decreases after the first

application. Further, cost of the abrasive is also low.

5. Why is AJM not suitable for soft materials? Abrasive particles used in AJM can penetrate and embed with soft materials.


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6. Name the abrasive materials that are used for the AJM. The common abrasives used for the AJM process are:

Dolomite

Sodium Bicarbonate

Glass beads

Silicon carbide

Silicon Nitride

Alumina

7. Mention the abrasives used for different applications

Abrasive Application

Aluminium oxide Cleaning, cutting and deburring

Silicon carbide As above but for harder materials

Glass beads Matt polishing, cleaning

Crushed glass Peening, cleaning

Sodium bicarbonate Cleaning, cutting for soft materials

8. Name different gases used in AJM. Which of this is most widely used?

Dry air

Carbon-di-oxide

Nitrogen

Helium

Air is most widely used owing to easy availability and little cost.

9. What is the effect of the grain size on the material removal rate (MRR) in the AJM?

Finer grain sizes are less irregular in shape, and hence, posses lesser cutting ability.

Moreover, finer grains tend to stick together and choke the nozzle. The most favourable grain

sizes range from 10 to 50m. Larger particle sizes remove the material faster.


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10. What is the effect of jet velocity on the MRR in AJM? The kinetic energy of the abrasive jet is utilised for metal removal by erosion. The jet velocity

is a function of the nozzle pressure, nozzle design, abrasive grain size and the mean

number of abrasives per unit volume of the carrier gas. In general with increase in the jet

velocity, the MRR increases.

.

11. Define mixing ratio. What is the effect of mixing ratio on the MRR? Mixing ratio is the ratio of the volume flow rate of the abrasive per unit time to the volume

flow rate of the carrier gas per unit time. A large value of mixing ratio should result in higher

rates of MRR but a large abrasive flow rate has been found to adversely influence jet

velocity and may sometimes even clog the nozzle.

12. What is the effect of the abrasive powder flow rate on the MRR in AJM? Increasing the flow rate increases the removal rate because more abrasive particles are

available for cutting. However as the powder flow rate is increased, the mass fraction of

abrasive in the jet is also increasing. As the mass fraction increases, the abrasive velocity

decreases, thus reducing the removal rate.

13. What are common materials used for the nozzle in AJM?

Sapphire and tungsten carbide are the common materials for the nozzle.

14. Why are masks used in AJM? Which material is used for fabrication of masks? Masks are used to control over spray or to produce large holes and intricate detail without having to move the nozzle and trace the shape. Masks can be fabricated from rubber or metal, each having its advantage and disadvantage. While the rubber masks are easy to fabricate, they give poor edge definition. The metal masks give much better definition but erode faster


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15. Mention the process capabilities (process characteristics) of AJM

Low MRR

Intricate details can be produced

Narrow slots

Low tolerances

Minimization of taper

Thin-sectioned, brittle material, inaccessible areas

Almost no surface damage

16. What are the advantages and limitations of AJM? Advantages:

Machining of very hard materials

Heat sensitive materials can be machined the gas stream dissipates generated heat when cutting heat-sensitive materials

Fragile materials can be machined the small loads transmitted to the workpiece allow the cutting of fragile pieces

Very low capital cost and low power consumption

No part shatter or vibration

The nozzle can be directed towards small, difficult-to-reach areas Limitations:

Low material removal rate

Stray cutting can occur and hence accuracy is not good

Excessive taper on deep cuts may also be a disadvantage, although the amount of taper can be reduced by tilting the nozzle

Short nozzle standoff when used for cutting

Possibility of abrasive particles becoming embedded in the workpiece

Nozzle wear rate is high

Process tends to pollute the environment

17. Mention some typical applications of AJM in engineering.

Removing flash and parting lines from injection moulded parts

Deburring and polishing plastic, nylon and teflon components

Cleaning metallic mould cavities which otherwise may be inaccessible

Cleaning oxides from metal surfaces

Cleaning metallic smears from ceramics


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18. What s the principle of WJM? If a jet of water is directed at a target in such a way that, on striking the surface, the high velocity flow is virtually stopped, then most of the kinetic energy of the water is converted into pressure energy. Erosion occurs when this pressure exceeds the strength of the bond binding together the materials making up the target.

19. What is the mechanism behind the material removal in WJM? Removes material through the erosion effects of a high velocity, small diameter jet of water.

20. Name the main elements of the WJM system.

Hydraulic unit

Intensifier

Accumulator

Filters

Water transmission lines

On/off valve

Waterjet nozzles

Waterjet catchers

Fluid additives

21. Why WJM is not suitable for brittle materials? Brittle materials may crack and break during water jet machining.

22. Why is glass not machined by WJM? Glass is a brittle material that cracks during WJM.

23. Why is it desirable to keep the standoff distance minimum in the WJM? SOD is kept minimum in order to prevent the dispersion of water stream before it strikes the

workpiece.

24. What are the process parameters that control the results achieved with WJM? Pressure, nozzle diameter, traverse rate and the SOD, all define the process. Of these, SOD

is the least critical.

25. What is the effect of traverse rate on the performance of WJM? Thicker and denser materials can be cut as the traverse rate decreases. Materials that are

too thick to be cut in a single pass can be cut with multiple passes if the first pass can

produce a well-defined slot.

26. What is the function of intensifier in WJM? The intensifier is used to increase the water pressure up to 380MPa pressure increase is determined by the ratio of the working areas of the two cylinders.


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27. What is the purpose of the accumulator in WJM? Accumulator also called as shock attenuator, is plumbed in parallel with the high-pressure output of the intensifier added to smooth the pressure spikes (pressure variations from water compression can be reduced to 2.5%) that occur at the reversal of the reciprocating

stroke of the intensifier.

28. What is the material used for the nozzle in WJM?

Material used most often for the nozzle orifice is synthetic sapphire because it is easily machinable and is resistant to wear. Recently, sapphire orifices have been replaced by diamond orifices whose life is ten times more. However, the cost of a diamond orifice is seven to ten times that of sapphire orifice

Essay

1. Describe the principle and working of a USM with a neat sketch. List the advantages,

limitations and applications of USM

2. Sketch and describe any two types of tool feed systems used in USM

3. Explain the factors, which influence the metal removal rate in USM. Compare USM

with traditional abrasive machining.

4. Explain the principle and equipment used for AJM with the help of neat sketch

.Mention the advantages, limitations and applications of AJM

5. Describe the effects of the following parameters on working accuracy and rate of

metal removal in AJM: Grain size; Jet velocity; Standoff

distance.

6. What is the principle of WJM? Describe the working of a WJM system with a neat

sketch.

7. Explain the process control features of WJM. Mention the applications, advantages

and limitations of WJM.

Unit 3

Two Marks

1. What is the principle of Chemical Machining (CHM)? Chemical attacks metals and etch them by removing small amounts of material from the

surface using reagents or etchants


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2. What are the processing steps in CHM? I. Preparing: precleaning II. Masking : application of chemically resistant material (if selective etching is desired) III. Etch: dip or spray exposure to the etchant IV. Remove Mask: strip remaining mask and clean V. Finish: inspection and post processing

3. What is etch factor? Ratio of undercut to depth of cut

4. What are the two major processes in CHM?

Two major CHM processes are: I. Chemical milling - eroding material to produce blind details pockets, channels etc., II. Chemical blanking for producing details that penetrate the material entirely (holes, slots,

etc.)

5. What is the purpose of etchant used in CHM? Give some examples.

Purpose: to dissolve a metal by turning it into a metallic salt, which then goes into solution

Many chemical are available as etchants:FeCl3, Chromic acid, FeNO3, HF, HNO3

6. What are the criteria used for selection of etchant?

Required surface finish

Removal rate

Material type

Etch depth

Type of resist

Cost

7. What is the purpose of maskant and how is it classified? Maskants (chemically resistant coatings) are used to cover the surfaces which are not to be

machined does not allow the etchant to react reach and react with work piece to dissolve

it.

8. Based on the techniques of applying maskants, classify them

Cut and peel - Involve the use of relatively thick material which is scribed and removed to create a selective exposure to the etchant - Neoprene, butyl or vinyl-based material is used as maskants

Screen printing - A fine mesh silk or stainless steel screen, which has areas blocked-off to allow selective passage of the maskant is used


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Photoresist masks materials that produce etchant resistant images by means of photographic techniques.

9. How are maskants selected? Selection of proper maskant for a particular application is accomplished by evaluation of the

job with respect to six factors chemical resistance, part configuration, quantity of parts,

cost, ease of removal and required resolution

10. What are the applications for CHM and photochemical machining (PCM)? CHM is used extensively to etch preformed aerospace parts to obtain maximum strength to

weight ratios:

Integrally stiffened Titanium engine ducts Spray etching a rotating tube for cruise missile launch tubes Thinning and sizing of a delta booster tank bulkhead

Chemical sizing of engine cowl inlet duct skins Undercut on clad aluminium

11. What are the advantages of CHM and PCM?

Metal removal is completely stress free Complex shapes and deeply recessed areas can be uniformly chemically milled

Extremely thin sections can be chemically milled Metal hardness or brittleness is not a factor

12. What are the limitations of CHM & PCM?

Fillet radius is approximately equal to depth of cut Extremely deep cuts are usually not cost effective A homogenous metal structure is normally required for good results

Suitable photographic facilities are not always available

13. Please identify the principle of ECM. How does it differ from electroplating? Principle of ECM - electrolysis. When a D.C potential is applied across two electrodes

separated by a small gap and an electrolyte is pumped through the small gap, the

constituents of the anode work piece material goes into the solution and not plate on the

cathode tool. Electroplating is the reverse of ECM where the cathode is plated by the

depleted metal from the anode.


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14. What is Faradays first law? The amount of chemical changes produced by an electric current (or the amount of

substance deposited or dissolved) is proportional to the quantity of electricity passed.

15. What is Faradays second law? The amount of different substances deposited or dissolved by the same quantity of

electricity are proportional to their chemical equivalent weights.

16. Explain the parameters controlling the MRR in ECM. (Ref. P.N.Rao and Benedict) MRR in ECM is primarily controlled by current density. When all other variables are held

constant, the tool penetration rate is directly proportional to the current density. Current

density is not only controlled by the amount of current but also by the size of the gap

between the tool and the workpiece.

Feed rate: a high feed rate results in a higher MRR. It also decreases the equilibrium machining gap resulting in improvement of the surface finish and tolerance control

The velocity and the electrolyte flow through the gap is also an important parameter affecting the surface finish and removal rate

17. What are the various process parameters of ECM? The process parameters that have a control on the performance of the ECM process is:

Feed rate, current density, voltage, electrolyte concentration (low concentration of the

electrolyte decreases the machining gap and results in a better surface finish and finer

tolerance control) and electrolyte temperature (low temperature of the electrolyte is

conducive to a better surface finish and tolerances), velocity and flow of electrolyte.

18. What are the various process characteristics of the ECM? Material Removal Rate the MRRs with ECM are sufficiently large and comparable with

that of the conventional methods. MRR of 16m3/min for 10,000 A is generally obtained in ECM


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Surface finish under certain conditions, ECM can produce surface finishes of the order of 0.4m

Accuracy under ideal conditions and with properly designed tooling, ECM is capable of holding tolerance of the order of 0.02mm and less.

Economy

19. What are the various tool materials that can be used effectively with ECM? Generally aluminium, copper, brass, titanium, cupro-nickel and stainless steel are used as

tool materials.

20. What factors should be considered in selecting the tool materials in ECM? High thermal and electrical conductivity Good stiffness- Rigidity of the tool construction and material is important because the

high pressure can cause deflection of the tool Easy machinability- particularly important if complex shaped tools are required High corrosion resistance- to protect itself from the highly corrosive electrolyte solution

21. What are the different types ECM operations? Electro Chemical Milling (ECM) Electro Chemical Grinding (ECG) Electro Chemical Honing (ECH) Electro Chemical Deburing (ECD) Electro chemical turning (ECT) Electro chemical trepanning (ECT r) etc.,

22. Enumerate some typical examples where ECM process can be effectively adopted. Deep hole drilling having L/D>20 Contouring operations in the die blocks Through cutting and through cavities

23. What are the different applications of ECM?

Aerospace industries: machining gas turbine blades, airframe component fabrication, honey-comb aircraft panels, jet engine blade airfoils

Manufacture of general machine parts: thin wall mechanical slotting, difficult to machine hollow shafts, chain pinions, internal profile of internal cams, driving joints, pump glands and impellers, connecting rod, hydraulic spools, gear wheels

Facing and turning complex 3D surfaces Cutting off


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24. What are the advantages of the ECM process? Long tool life Machines complicated shapes in single pass Machines any material hardness independent of physical and mechanical properties No burrs No stress Good surface finish Good accuracy

25. What are the limitations of the ECM process? Work must be electrically conductive High maintenance Can cause intergranular attack (IGA) High tooling and set-up costs

26. For which type of work, ECM is useful? ECM is suitable for hard and difficult to machine materials and when complex shapes are

required which are not machinable by conventional methods.

27. What is ECG? Identify its applications. ECG is a process that combines the ECM with the mechanical grinding operation to remove

material. It uses a grinding wheel with an electrically conductive abrasive bonding agent.

Applications:

Single largest use for ECG is in the manufacturing and remanufacturing of turbine blades and vanes for aircraft turbine engines

Grinding of tungsten carbide tool inserts Re-profiling worn locomotive traction motor gears Burr-free sharpening of hypodermic needles Machining of fragile or very hard and tough material honey comb, thin walled tubes

and skins High MRRs when grinding hard, tough, stringy, work-hardenable or heat sensitive

materials


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28. Explain the difference between the ECG and conventional grinding? In ECG, there is a grinding wheel similar to a conventional grinding wheel except that the

bonding material is electrically conductive.

Conventional grinding produces components with good surface finish and dimensional

tolerances but such components are also associated with burrs, comparatively large heat

affected zone (HAZ), and thermal residual stresses. These defects are not found in

electrochemically ground workpieces.

29. What are the advantages of ECG over conventional grinding? Higher MRR Reduce cost of grinding (higher cost of equipment compensated by higher MRR,

reduced consumption of expensive diamond wheels)

Reduced heating of workpiece resulting in less thermal damage Absence of burrs on the finished surface Improved surface finish with no grinding scratches Reduced pressure of work against the wheel and so delicate parts can be manufactured

without distortion

30. Identify any two advantages and limitations of electrochemical grinding (ECG) Advantages

No thermal damage to workpiece Elimination of grinding burn Absence of work hardening

Long-lasting wheels less truing Higher MRR; Single pass grinding - reduced cost of grinding; Absence of burrs on the finished surface;

Improved surface finish with no grinding scratches; Reduced pressure of work against the wheel no distortion; In ECG, the ECM action is efficient Limitations High capital cost / Higher cost of grinding wheel; Corrosive environment High preventive maintenance cost Tolerance achieved are low; Difficult to optimize due to the complexity of the process; Non-conductive materials cannot be machined Not economical for soft materials noncompetitive removal rates compared to

conventional methods for readily machinable metals Requires disposal and filtering of electrolytes


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31. What is ECH? Identify its applications. ECH is a process in which the metal removal capabilities of ECM are combined with the

accuracy capabilities of honing. The process consists of a rotating and reciprocating tool

inside a cylindrical component.

Applications: the process is easily adaptable to cylindrical parts for trueing the inside

surfaces.

32. What is ECD? Identify its applications. ECD is a process for the removal of metal burrs by anodic dissolution, the same principle as

ECM.

Applications:

Generally employed for far away located as well as inaccessible places where other deburring processes are not effective.

ECD process has been successfully applied in many different industries ranging from consumer appliances and automotive to biomedical and aerospace products

The automotive industry, a heavy user of ECD, employs this process for deburring and radiusing the cross-holes in crankshafts.

Not only is ECD applicable to the high-volume environment of the automotive industry, but it is also applicable to the automated factory.

33. How does ECD differ from ECM? ECD is a special version of ECM used exclusively to deburr or radius workpieces. It differs

from ECM in that the electrolyte pressure, electrolyte flow, and current are all relatively low.

Another major difference is that the cathode (tool) is usually held stationary in ECD.

34. ECD is same as ECM except much simple to use. Justify the statement. ECD is same as ECM except much simple to use because, there is no feed mechanism

needed for the ECD tool (the tool is held stationary). Moreover in ECD, the electrolyte

pressure, electrolyte flow, and current are all relatively low.

35. What are the functions served by the electrolyte in the ECM process? Medium for current to flow Takes away heat generated Removes reaction products


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Essay

1. Explain the principle of ECM with a neat sketch. Mention the advantages,

disadvantages, limitations and applications of ECM.

2. Briefly explain the various process parameters that affect the material removal rate

and surface quality in ECM

3. What factors should be considered in selecting the tool materials in ECM? What are

the materials commonly used for making a tool for use in this method? Is there any

limitation on the type of material that can be machined by ECM?

4. With a help of a neat illustration, explain the process of ECG & ECH.

5. Explain the principle and working of CHM. Mention any four advantages, limitations

and applications of CHM.

6. Discuss the criterias that are applied in the selection of etchant and maskants

7. What are the different techniques adopted for applying maskants. Briefly elaborate

them.

Unit 4

Two Marks

1. What is the principle of EDM? EDM process involves a controlled erosion of electrically conductive materials by the

initiation of rapid and repetitive spark discharges between the tool and workpiece separated

by a small gap. The controlled pulsing of the direct current between the tool and the

workpiece produces the spark discharge. Heat transfer from the spark to both the tool and

workpiece makes the latter to melt and partially vaporise and partially ionise the metal in a

thin surface layer.

2. What causes the material to be removed from the workpiece surface? (Or) How does the dielectric assist in removing the material from the workpiece?

Due to the inertia of the surrounding fluid, the pressure within the spark becomes quite large

and may possibly assist in blasting the molten material from the surface leaving a fairly flat

and shallow crater.

3. What are the principle components of EDM process? Power supply, Dielectric system, electrodes: workpiece and tool and servo system (tool

feed)


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4. What is the use of dielectric in EDM process? spark conductor that must ionize under an applied voltage deionize the spark gap after the discharge has occurred effective cooling medium (coolant) carry the swarf particles away from the working gap (flushing medium)

5. What the dielectric fluids commonly used in EDM? Petrolium based hydrocarbon fluids. Parafin, white sprite, transformer oil. Kerosine, mineral oil.

Ethylene glycol and water miscible compounds.

6. List the desirable characteristics of a dielectric. The following are the desirable characteristics of a dielectric:

It should have sufficient and stable dielectric strength to serve as an insulation between the tool and work till the breakdown voltage is reached

It should deionise rapidly after the spark discharge has taken place It should have low viscosity and good wetting capacity to provide an effective

cooling mechanism and remove the swarf particles from the machining gap It should be chemically neutral so as not to attack the electrode, workpiece,

table or the tank. It should not emit any toxic vapours or have any unpleasant odour. It should have high flash point so as to avoid any fire hazards. It should maintain its properties over a wide range of temperature,

contamination by debris and products of decomposition. It should be economical and easily available.

7. What is tool wear in the EDM process? Partial removal of the tool material form the tool surface while machining the workpiece due

to the discharge spark produced between the tool and the workpiece.

8. How does tool wear occur in the EDM? Due to the sparking action, the intense heat generated near the zone melts and evaporates

the materials in the sparking zone. Since the tool is also within this zone, it also gets

eroded.

9. How to minimise tool wear in EDM?

Tool wear can be minimized by using a tool material that has a high melting point and high

thermal conductivity. Also by properly configuring the tool design, tool wear can be

minimized.


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10. Please identify the characteristics of an electrode material in order to serve as a good tool. It should be a good conductor of electricity and heat It should be easily machinable to any shape at a reasonable cost It should produce efficient material removal rates from the workpieces It should resist the deformation during the erosion process It should exhibit low electrode (tool) wear rates It should be easily available in a variety of shapes

11. Name some of the tool material used in EDM? Copper, brass, alloys of Zinc &tin. Hardend plain carbon steel Copper tungsten, silver tungsten, tungsten

Copper graphite and graphite.

12. Why is graphite the most preferred electrode material in EDM?

Graphite has very high melting point (3727C). It does not melt rather vaporizes. At the

same time, the tool wear is minimum.

13. How does the melting temperature of work material affect the MRR in EDM? Work materials having higher melting temperature have lower MRRs.

14. What is the effect of capacitance in EDM? Increasing the capacitance causes the discharge to increase and increase both the peak

current and discharge time.

15. Define wear ratio It is the ratio of volume of work removed to the volume of tool removed.

16. Define over cut

It is the distance by which the machined hole in the work piece exceeds the electrode size

and is determined by both the initiating voltage and the discharge energy.

17. What is recast layer? If molten material from the workpiece is not flushed out quickly, it will resolidify and harden

(as a martensite) due to cooling effect of the dieletric, and gets adhered to the machined

surface. This thin layer (about 2.5 to 50m) is known as re-cast layer.


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18. Name the best electrode material for finish operations on a small die made of WC by the EDM process.

Best electrode material for finish machining a small die made of WC steel. Steel is used

because it can match the parting planes of the moulds in which half the mould is used as the

electrode and the other half is used as the workpiece.

19. Explain why tool shape in the EDM process should be complementary to the final form? Since the arc is always struck at a point between the workpiece that is closest from

the tool (electrode), the complementary tool surface will be reproduced in the workpiece.

20. What are the factors upon which the material removal rate and surface roughness depends?

Increase in current or spark voltage increases MRR and produces higher surface roughness

Increase in spark frequency results in improved surface finish but the MRR can be maintained

Low inter electrode gap (IEG) results in lower MRR, higher surface finish and better accuracy

21. What are the design factors to be considered while selecting the machine tool? Number of parts to be produced. Accuracy. Size of work piece. Size of electrode. Depth of cavity.

22. Why is a servo-controlled system required in EDM? EDM requires that a constant arc gap be maintained between the electrode and the work

piece to obtain maximum machining efficiency. Therefore EDM tool incorporates some form

of servo control.

23. What are the various applications of EDM? Mould making industry manufacture moulds for plastics Tool and die industry- manufacture extruding, heading, drawing, forging and die lasting

dies. Aerospace and electronic industry to make prototypes and production parts- made of

difficult to machine material Small or odd shaped holes Miniature parts and parts made from thin or fragile materials (delicate)


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24. What is meant by Wire cut EDM? The principle and working of an WEDM is similar to the EDM but instead of using a solid

electrode, a wire (about 0.05-0.30mm diameter) is used as an electrode in EDM.

25. What are salient features of WEDM? WEDM uses a small diameter wire as tool electrode, which produces a very narrow kerf in

the work. Because of this reason, very sharp corners can be easily produced.

26. Please identify various applications of Wire cut EDM. Wire cut EDM is used for the manufacture of:

Dies Press tools Electrodes

27. What are the different types of the electrical circuits that are used for electro spark machining?

R.C. Circuits Rotary impulse generator Pulse controlled circuits Hybrid circuits

28. What is an arc gap? Optimum distance between the tool and the workpiece so that spark can run and cause

useful erosion.

.

29. How is the arc gap controlled in EDM? Servo mechanism is used to control the arc gap average voltage is measured and as long

as it is within a certain limit, no correction signal is fed to the feed drive.

30. What are the limitations of EDM process? Low material removal rate Only electrically conductive materials can be machined Tool electrode wear is very high More time in the fabrication of the electrodes. High cost involved.


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Essay

1. With the help of a neat sketch, explain the working of a spark erosion machine.

2. What are the desirable properties of a dielectric fluid? Gives some examples for

dielectric fluids. Explain the functions of dielectric fluid.

3. What are the important process parameters that control the material removal rate in

EDM? Explain any four factors

4. Explain the process of wire cut EDM and list any two of its advantages, limitations

and applications.

5. Explain the process of Electrical discharge grinding and list any two of its

advantages, limitations and applications.

6. Explain the process of Electrical discharge wire cutting processes and list any two of

its advantages, limitations and applications.

7. Explain the different types of power generator circuits in EDM.

Unit 5

1. What is the principle of EBM? A stream of high-speed electrons impinges on the work surface whereby the kinetic energy,

transferred to the work material, produces intense heating. Depending on the intensity of the

heat thus generated, the material can melt or vaporize.

2. What is the principle of LBM? Under proper conditions light energy of a particular frequency is used to stimulate the

electrons in an atom to emit additional light (photon- unit of the light) with exactly the same

characteristics of the original light source.

3. What is the principle of PAM? Plasma is defined as a superheated, electrically ionized gas. The cutting action takes place

by directing the high-velocity plasma stream at the work, thus melting it and blowing the

molten metal through the kerf.

4. Identify the essential constituents of the electron gun? Answer: Function is to generate, shape and deflect the electron beam to drill or machine

the workpiece. The essential constituents of the electron gun are:

Cathode- source of the electrons

Bias Grid- to control the no. of electrons and acts as a switch for generating pulses Anode- to accelerate the electrons

Magnetic coil that functions as a magnetic lens, repels and shapes the electron beam into a

converging beam


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5. Compare EBM and LBM. LBM does not require vacuum for operation Power density (output in watts which can be concentrated upon an area, usually

expressed in units of W/mm2) are greater for laser than EBM The LBM cannot be deflected electrically, so that the movement of the beam with

respect to the workpiece must be carried out mechanically. Therefore, the LBM cannot

be controlled as accurately and machining tolerances are less, being in the order of 0.01mm.

6. What is LASER? LASER stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.

7. What are the applications of LBM? LBM is again a micromachining method which can be used for a wide range of metal

processing applications such as metal removal drilling, trepanning; metal shaping cutting, scribing and controlled fracturing

Most of the LBM drilling applications are in small hole drilling such as fuel filters, carburetor nozzles, surgical and hypodermic needles, hole for lock-nut safety wires, jet engine blade cooling holes, diamond drawing dies, holes in rubber baby bottle nipples, relief holes in pressure plugs, holes in nylon buttons

Laser beam can be used for making or engraving so as to produce controlled surface pattern on a workpiece company logos, part number, bar codes or serial number can be made. Metal, glass and paper can also be marked in this way.

For vaporizing foreign material clogged in electron microscope apertures.

Essay

1. Describe, with the help of neat sketch, the principle and working of an EBM machine

2. Describe, with the help of a sketch, the constructional features of a electron gun

used for generating an electron beam in EBM

3. Explain the different types of gun used in EBM.

4. Make a comparison between LBM and EBM processes on the basis of their working,

control of beam, applications and limitations

5. Describe, with the help of a neat sketch, the working of a solid state laser beam

machine or Explain the process of LBM with a neat sketch or explain any one

method of producing laser.

6. Explain the principle of PAM. Compare PAM with gas cutting. Discuss about PAM

process parameters

7. Explain the process capabilities of EBM and PAM

8. Explain the Magnetic abrasive finishing and abrasive flow finishing processes.

Advantages No thermal damage to workpiece Elimination of grinding burn Absence of work hardening Long-lasting wheels less truing Higher MRR; Single pass grinding - reduced cost of grinding; Absence of burrs on the finished surface; Improved surface finish with no grinding scratches; Reduced pressure of work against the wheel no distortion; In ECG, the ECM action is efficientLimitations

two marks

Documents

mechanical energy

energy electrical

different kinds of energy

high surface finish

pcm high current density

high initial investment

conventional processes

department of mechanical